Puzzle maze with movable partitions



United States Patent [72] Inventor Raymond L. Muncey 4285 BallietteDrive, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 [21] Appl. No. 748,878 [22] Filed July30, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 17, 1970 [54] PUZZLE MAZE WITH MOVABLEPARTITIONS 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. 52'] us. Cl 273/109 [5]] Int. ClA63b 67/14 [50] Field ofSearch 273/109, 108, 153, 153(8), (Consulted)[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,011,266 8/1935 Boynton273/153 3,148,884 9/1964 Steinhardt 273/153X FOREIGN PATENTS 2,61310/1906 Great Britain 273/109 l,298,367 6/1962 France 273/134 PrimaryExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Thomas ZackAttorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A baseplate has tracks formed therein for accommodating removable denticulatedslide members which cooperate with fixed partition elements connected tothe base plate transversely positioned between adjacently positionedtracks. The slide members and partition elements form a maze pattern. Aball is positioned within the maze and moved therethrough by a player.The slide members may be removed and repositioned to permit a largenumber of different maze patterns.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 28 2 3 b v x\\ Raymond L. Muncey IN VIENI'OK.

Annmqs QM and The present invention relates to games and moreparticularly to a maze pattern having a variable configuration.

The puzzle maze is an age old game which challenges the player to move aball through the maze from a sta rting point to a remotely situated exitpoint. Prior game structures have included a stationarily positionedmaze pattern which limits the player. As a result, once a path throughthe maze has been successfully learned, continuing challengeistermin'ated.

The present invention permitsthe sliding insertion of maze obstaclemembers so that a very large number of pattern combinations may beeasily obtained. Thus, the present invention provides flexibility whichcontinually challenges the skill of a player.

These together with other objects and advantages which wil becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of con and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the present puzzle maze.

FIG. 2 is a. vertical cross-sectional view taken along a plane passingthrough section line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along a plane passingthrough section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating the track formationpermitting insertion of sliding members in the maze.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating the relationship ofaslide member to the maze structure.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1thereof, reference numeral generally denotes the present puzzle maze andis seen to include atop coveror plate 12 fabricated from a suitabletransparent material such as Lucite" or the like. A base plate 14 ispositioned in spaced underlying relation to the-top cover 12. A firstlateral wall 16 is connected to the base plate 14 and extends upwardlytherefrom for attachmentto the cover plate 12. A second op- -14 and 18and include square apertures 24 formed in the outward upward cornersthereof for permitting passage of a ball 25 therethrough.

The spaces defined between confronting edges of slat members 18 defineentrances to longitudinally aligned tracks or grooves 26 extendingacrossthe breadth of the base plate 14. As particularly shown in FIG. 3, eachof these aforemen tioned grooves 26 may be characterized by an invertedT cross section.

Tabular members or partitions 28 in the form of parallelpipeds areconnected to the base plate 14 at irregularly spaced intervals along thelength of each track. More particularly, the majority of the partitionsare disposedtransversely between adjacently positioned tracks 26.However, a certain number of partitions are disposed between thelaterally outward tracks and adjacently positioned lateral walls 22.

The maze pattern is completed by a number of partition members 30disposed perpendicularly to the first-mentioned partition members 28.These latter-mentioned partition members 30 are connected to a number ofslide members 3l which may be characterized by. their denticulatedconstruction. As noted in FIG. 4, the partition members or dentiformelements 30 vary in size and the space between adjacent partitionmembers is varied so that the ball may pass through only certain spacesalong a denticulated slide 31. In actual construction, the partitionmembers are integrally, connected to an elongated bar or base membercharacterized by an inverted T- shaped cross section including a lowerhorizontal rib portion 32 and a vertical portion 34. By viewing FIGS. 3and 4, it will be seen that the denticulated slide with its invertedT-shaped base member is adapted for sliding insertion within a similarlyinverted T-shaped groove or track 26.

When utilizing the puzzle maze 10, the combination of inserteddenticulated slide members 31 and fixed partition members 28 form analley or path through the maze, in a conventional manner. The ball 25may be inserted into any of the four apertures 24 and the user of thegame attempts to force displacement of the ball 25'through the maze forfinal exit through an oppositely and laterally disposed aperture. It isemphasized that the novelty of the present invention does not reside ina particular maze pattern but rather resides in the capability of themaze pattern to be constantly rearranged by sliding any number ofdenticulated slide members 31 outwardly and reinserting them in newtracks. Thus, as will be appreciated, the present invention permits anastronomical number of combinations and permutations of maze patterns toperpetually challenge the skill of a player.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only ofthe principles of theinvention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

lclaim:

1. A maze structure comprising a base plate, a plurality ofparallel-spaced tracks formed in said base plate, a plurality ofpartition members connected to said base plate, each said memberextending transversely between adjacent tracks, a plurality of slidemembers having serially spaced denticulations, the slide members beingremovably insertable within respective tracks, the denticulationscontacting the partition members to form maze walls, and a ball enclosedin the maze for movement restrained by the walls.

2. A maze structure comprising a base plate, a plurality of parallelspaced tracks formed in said base plate, a plurality of partitionmembers connected to said base plate, each said member extendingtransversely between adjacent tracks, a plurality of denticulated slidemembers removably insertable within a respective track, said slidemembers cooperatively positioned with said partition members to form amaze, each said slide member including an elongated bar portioncharacterized by an inverted T-shaped cross section adapted forengagement by a track, said bar portion mounting a preselected number ofadjacently spaced and longitudinally aligned dentiform elements.'

3. The combination .ofclaim 2 including a housing for partiallyenclosing said maze, said housing including an entrance along one edgethereof to permit insertion of said slide members along said tracks.

